Parlour Magazine‘s Ivory Jones reflects on a frustrating post-hurricane experience in the city she calls home.
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This time two weeks ago, I was at my wit’s end. This time two weeks ago, I felt abandoned, miserable and angry. This time two weeks ago, I was on my seventh day without power in New Orleans, thanks to the gift that kept on giving, otherwise known as Hurricane Isaac …
The one thing that hasn’t gone hazy yet is the sense of disappointment that descended upon during those literal days of darkness. For the first time in my life, I feel a sense of disenchantment with the city of New Orleans. Always a magical place to me, this is the first time I haven’t felt enraptured with its spell. The city whose pull was so hard that it prompted me to pack up and move back after being away for 13 years suddenly doesn’t seem to love its residents the same. At a time when I felt that the top priority should have been the well-being of its residents, emphasis instead was placed on making sure that the surface seemed nice and shiny for its visitors. I’m not ready to give up my love affair with New Orleans, just as I hope that she hasn’t given up on me. But for those seven days, it definitely felt like she had.
Read Ivory Jones’ entire piece at Parlour Magazine.
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